13. Soft CellNon-Stop Erotic Cabaret
I was a massive Soft Cell fan. ‘Tainted Love’ was a big part of my childhood. Everybody knew the song – there was this real solidarity surrounding them. I knew the lyrics to every song. Marc Almond was playing at Coventry Polytechnic, but mum wouldn’t let me go! I didn’t speak to her for a week. I was a moody cow! Chart music back then was really something else. When my wallpaper was changed, I wrote all their tracks and chart numbers on the walls. I was obsessed! On the last day of school, my friend Julia had signed my school shirt ‘The other Marc Almond fan’.
All their music was great. I had all the 7-inches. I loved all the B-sides. ‘It’s A Mug’s Game’ is a personal favourite – it told a whole story. I hadn’t heard anything like that before. Even their cover versions were amazing. What an amazing partnership. What a great fashion statement. Marc had gone through a lot in his childhood, and I think it shows in his music. He certainly poured a lot of sadness into it.
I didn’t understand a lot of those lyrics at the time, but you took them the way you wanted. You often have no idea what bands are singing about when you’re a kid. When you’re a kid, some songs resonate and others you don’t understand. But that’s fine. It’s being an innocent kid, and that’s quite sweet really.
